1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a medical device for a penis and, more particularly, to a semi-rigid sleeve used to maintain the penis in an erect position during sexual intercourse. Such is advantageous in relieving symptoms of mild to moderate erectile dysfunction.
2. Description of the Related Art
The male impotence or erectile dysfunction is a widespread problem. It is the persistent inability of a man to get an erection and to maintain it long enough for satisfying sexual intercourse. The erectile dysfunction occurs mainly in older men; approximately 30% of men in their forties and 67% of men in their seventies are affected. Present treatments comprise vacuum pumps, penis protheses, vascular surgery, and the use of vasodilatory medicaments.
Several designs for condoms have been designed in the past. None of them, however, include an erection-facilitating sleeve made of flexible material allowing for movement that enhances comfort and pleasure having a plurality of semi-rigid resilient members that can be inflated to a sufficient rigidness to support an erection. Optionally, the present invention can also be implemented with an exoskeleton having a predetermined tensile strength to support an erection.
Applicant believes that a related reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 7,972,263 issued to Runyan, Donald. The Runyan reference discloses of a penis rigidity stabilizer using a plurality of rigid strips. However, it differs from the present invention because the present invention uses a sleeve having semi-rigid resilient members configured in a braided, or crisscross, longitudinal configuration that supports to a user's penis during sexual intercourse. Also, the semi-rigid resilient members can be hollow and filled with air or water using a valve and a syringe to enhance the support to a user's penis. Additionally, the Runyan reference does not teach or motivate one of ordinary skill in the art to include a prophylactic membrane to a resilient sleeve permitting uni-directional and bi-directional movement that increases stimulation and comfort to a user. Moreover, the Runyan reference does not disclose the use of a manual pump that can be used to fill the semi-rigid resilient members of the present invention with air or water.
Other documents describing the closest subject matter provide for a number of more or less complicated features that fail to solve the problem in an efficient and economical way. None of these patents suggest the novel features of the present invention.